In a world of flashy smartphones and Apple Intelligence, Light stands out from the crowd by focusing on minimalist mobile devices. Their products do not come with color screens nor do they offer an Internet connection. The company continues its mission of bringing distraction-free phones to the masses with the new Light Phone III. It is important to mention that the brand does not consider the Phone III as a direct replacement for the previous model. You can consider it another option for people who want a similar device but with more modern features.
The most striking change with the Phone III is the new 3.92-inch black and white OLED display. Gone is the old E-Ink screen. Light co-founder Kaiwei Tang told TheVerge that “almost 50 percent of [their] users couldn't get used to it.” Apparently it was the cause of many people dropping their Light Phones, so an update was necessary.
Please note that the image quality will not be very high, considering that the resolution maxes out at 1,080 x 1,230 pixels. The main draw here is that the OLED display “offers significant performance improvements.” The experience of scrolling through menus and applications will be much smoother.
A tool for a better life. The Light Phone III is a decision you make when you're finally ready to say enough is enough. Learn more and book today:👉 pic.twitter.com/HSXK6LlIV3June 11, 2024
Light made the Phone III larger than previous models to accommodate the revamped display, which now measures 106mm x 71.5 x 12mm. It's not as tall as the iPhone 15, but it's just as wide. Built into the side is a scroll wheel to adjust the screen brightness on the fly, and turning it until it clicks turns on the flashlight.
New hardware
Speaking of the rear, Light equipped its model with the first 50MP camera in the series. It can take photos and videos like a normal smartphone. Additionally, you can send the images to other people; however, it has a fixed focal length and “is limited to central focus.” This means you can only make a few adjustments to the lens.
Think of it as one of those old school disposable cameras. It even has a two-step shutter button near the bottom. Pressing the button halfway focuses the lens, while pressing it all the way takes a photo.
The internal hardware also received its fair share of upgrades. It is powered by a Qualcomm SM 4450 chipset, 6 GB of RAM and a 1,800 mAh battery. Light even admits to not knowing how long the Phone III lasts on a single charge.
Although it is twice the size of the Phone II's battery, the company states that it is “too early to [them] to estimate the precise battery life.” However, they are confident that the Phone III will last 24 hours before needing a recharge.
Other notable features include a fingerprint reader, a USB-C port (the Phone II has a micro USB port), GPS, and an NFC chip. According to TheVerge, the company plans to implement digital payments in the future.
Pre-orders for the Light Phone III are available at a discount of $399 / AU$609. The lowest price will only be valid until July 15 and after that, you'll have to pay the full price of $799 / AU$1,218 The Phone III will start shipping in January 2025, so buyers will have to wait a while before they can get their hands on the device.
Be sure to check out TechRadar's list of the best smartphones for 2024.
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